To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Jennifer Gonzales, Police Chief
Prepared By: Samantha Pascoe, Deputy City Clerk
TITLE:
Title
Military Equipment Ordinance Update Adding Additional Equipment
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Approve the Second Reading and final passage, and adopt an ordinance approving the updated police military equipment use policy to add additional equipment in accordance with California Government Code sections 7070 through 7075.
Body
DISCUSSION:
This is the Second Reading and Final Adoption of an ordinance approving the updated police military equipment use policy to add additional equipment in accordance with California Government Code sections 7070 through 7075.
The introduction and First Reading of this ordinance was held at the Regular City Council meeting on October 3, 2023. If approved the Ordinance will become effective thirty days following adoption.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
By approving this item, the Police Department will spend approximately $52,000 from its existing budget in FY24. The annual costs are then estimated to be approximately $6,000 for device maintenance.
Consequences: If the Police Department is not authorized to purchase these items, there will be varying impacts. The Accident Reconstruction, Crime Scene and Patrol Teams would not have access to the unmanned aerial system to document accident/crime scenes or locate dangerous subjects, resulting in increased staff costs, and extended scene and road closures while evidence is documented and collected.
The Crisis Response Unit would no longer have an unmanned robot to locate and communicate with subjects during high-risk incidents. As a result they would have to rely on other techniques and tactics that do not afford the same mobility or standoff distances.
The Crisis Response Unit would continue to operate with a single launcher with two munitions, reducing available less-lethal options for conflict resolution and de-escalation.
The Police Department would maintain the currently authorized quantity of less-lethal munitions, but it would lose the flexibility for training and operational use afforded by the bulk acquisition of these munitions. The Police Department would also be subjected to market conditions and supply chain interruptions that have affected this industry over the past decade.
CEQA:
The Police Chief has determined that the recommended action described in this agenda report is not subject to CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Ordinance
EX A - Updated Military Equipment Policy and Proposed Inventory
EX B - 2023 Proposed Equipment
NOTIFICATION:
Notice of the public hearing was published in the Napa Valley Register on September 23, 2023.